Barchie Oneshots

Not Now

"You love Veronica."

Betty says it and it feels like a punishment. And Archie feels awful, awful for feeling like that, but he can't help it.

"I loved Veronica. But Betty I'm-"

"Stop." She says it like a prayer. Please, don't do this, don't set both our worlds on fire.

"I'm sorry." He doesn't know what else to say.

She sits down on the cot.

"Archie, why is this happening now?"

"What do you mean?"

She looks up at him, watery eyes searching for something.

"Why now? I've been-I've been with Jughead. And you love Veronica," there she goes, saying that again, "and God, oh my God! When we were sophomores, I would've done anything for you to love me like that."

Pain shoots through Archie's heart as he listens to the tremor of her voice.

"I was stupid. I was an idiot, and I hate that I hurt you, and if I could go back, and do it over again-"

"Don't say things like that. It's-it's not fair to anyone."

Archie sits on the cot beside her, not touching.

He looks glumly at the candles he had lit for their meeting. What a fool he had been. Did he really think this was romantic? Betty deserved better than an ambush in a bunker.

"You love Jughead." He says, half question, half declaration.

Betty doesn't answer. Archie makes a decision he didn't even realize he was thinking about.

"I won't tell Veronica about...about anything. But I am gonna break up with her."

Betty turns to him, alarmed.

"What? No, you-Arch-you can't. You shouldn't."

"I haven't been in love with Veronica in a while Betty. Maybe never. And if you don't wanna think about whatever we are, I'll respect that. But it's not fair to her or me to keep this relationship going."

"Not fair? We cheated Archie. Cheated. That's like, the worst thing you could do to a person."

Archie doesn't know what to say. It was true. They had cheated. He doesn't say anything for a while.

"Sometimes I think about Homecoming. You know, when we were sophomores." Betty says quietly, "I think about us, what we could've been."

The words hang heavy in the air.

"Me too." He says.

Archie waits.

"Cheryl caught me reading my old diary today. It was about you," she laughs a little, "It was always about you back then. She told me that you gave me a hit of nostalgia, basically."

"Oh."

"I happen to disagree with her."

"Betty..."

"I mean, I wish it was just a silly old crush coming back, but it's not."

Archie meets her eyes and it's like a breath of fresh air, even underground.

"Betty-"

Betty looks at him expectantly.

"I think I'm in love with you." He says.

Betty's eyes go wide, but she says nothing.

"I always want to be around you, and you're so smart, and you get me, like really get me-"

He pauses, trying to gage her reaction, but he can't read anything besides shock.

"I'm sorry." He says, wishing he could put the words back. Why did he have to be such an idiot?

Suddenly the cot feels far too small for the two of them and Archie moves to stand up, but Betty grabs his hand; fingers curling around his palm.

Her eyebrows knit together sadly.

"Don't be sorry."

She leans in then, catching his mouth with hers. It's a soft kiss, tender and trembling, and Archie wishes he could wrap his arms around her, but he's worried that any sudden moves would break whatever spell they're under.

She pulls her lips away after a moment, but doesn't remove herself from his space, leaving their breaths to intermingle.

Archie wishes he could stay right here, in the bunker, holding her hand forever. Alas, the rest of the world, not the mention their significant others, would probably miss them.

Betty pulls back just enough to look him in the eyes.

"Arch, we can't do this, not now."

She's right. It would be downright cruel to Jughead and Veronica, two people who despite his betrayal, Archie very much still loves.

"Not now," he repeats back to her, the words humming over his lips like a prayer.

She cups his face and presses another kiss to his lips, harder this time, like she wants him to remember it. And he does remember it, and he will. He will remember the touch of her lips until "not now" finally comes to pass, and he can kiss her again.
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A/N
-my bad for never posting sorry
-anybody got any AU ideas?